Currently network devices such as gateways or protocol converters that convert transmission packets received in a first transmission protocol into one or more second transmission protocols for subsequent transmission, rebroadcast, or dispatch have generally not allowed for the definition and/or customization of applications operational and/or executing on the device. Moreover, the underlying operating systems underpinning operation of many of these devices have generally been proprietary and thus information as to the functional details of these operating systems has typically been inaccessible and/or unavailable to vendors and/or third parties. Additionally, current devices are constrained in that they are generally not adaptable and/or amenable to the incorporation of new and/or the constantly expanding functionalities and capabilities set forth in continually evolving technical standards promulgated by various networking and telecommunication standards bodies/groups, such as the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), the institute of electrical and electronics engineers (IEEE), and the like. Furthermore, current gateway devices and/or protocol converters are generally not modular devices and therefore do not allow for the internal installation of customized or customizable third party modules.